As described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,978,802 to CNH America LLC, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, agricultural work vehicles, such as a harvester combine, are typically powered by an internal combustion engine located in an engine compartment, which isolates the engine from the relatively dirty work environment. The internal combustion engine requires a relatively clean source of engine combustion air and cooling air that must be drawn from ambient air around the vehicle. The harvesting process, however, generates a significant amount of airborne particulates, including dust, dirt, and the like. MOG (material other than grain) is separated from the harvested grain and is typically blown out from the processing equipment and spread on the ground behind the vehicle as chaff. This process of spreading chaff is possibly the greatest contributor to the relatively dirty ambient air around the vehicle. With the unavoidable amount of airborne matter in the ambient air, it can be difficult to draw and supply the clean air needed by the engine.
Conventional combines draw ambient air from along the side of the vehicle with an engine fan. The air is drawn through a rotary air screen that provides an initial degree of cleaning. A portion of the air drawn through the rotary screen is directed through heat exchangers (e.g., radiator, charge air cooler, hydraulic system cooler, and so forth), while another portion of the air is further cleansed in an engine air filter and directed to the engine intake manifold for combustion air. Because the air is initially drawn from perhaps the dirtiest air around the vehicle, the rotary screen and engine air filter require frequent cleaning and maintenance.
A vacuum system may be configured with the rotary screen to vacuum particulate matter from the screen as it rotates. Such vacuum systems typically draw the particulate matter off of the screen and into the air ducts toward the engine cooling fan. The engine cooling fan then distributes the particulate matter over the engine, which can degrade engine performance.
What is sought in the industry is an improved air intake configuration that will initially supply relatively clean air for engine combustion and component cooling as compared to conventional designs.